


Broken Walls

by PerfectLittleKing



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cecilos Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Minor Violence, Night Vale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 23:23:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12736407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerfectLittleKing/pseuds/PerfectLittleKing
Summary: Maybe this was just a horrible nightmare and everything will go back to normal after waking up? Yeah that seems like a good idea. Sleep will totally fix this mess that's been happening in Night Vale. Pretending to sleep didn't help and silence is now haunting Cecil.





	1. Perfect Imperfect Night

The apartment was barely lit with only one light on. A shadow crept on the wall as one of the owners of the place shuffled from the living room to the kitchen. The once radio filled room had now turned to silence when the radio was turned off. It was the end of the news from the voice of Night Vale, Cecil Palmer. The owner of the the apartment enjoyed the show just like everyone else in the town did. Almost seemed like it was forced to be watched, but who truly knows if that was true. At the end of each show, the owner knew that soon he wouldn't be alone anymore. Soon he'll see a familiar face enter his life once again.

The front door of the apartment creaked open shining artificial light from the streetlight across the street into the place. Another shadow grew on the floor showing that someone else had entered. Shoes were kicked off when the door was closed once again. The colorful sneakers laid on their sides against the wall. A hand fumbled for the light switch on the wall. It took practice to figure out where that was in the darkness, but after a few minutes the figure was able to find it and flick it on. 

All the figure, who had now had been soaked with light from above, hoped that he didn't wake the other who lived in the apartment. With all the lights off except one sort of gave a feeling that the other was sleep. With faint footsteps get louder showed that the other person who lived there wasn't asleep or had just woken up. Either way he wasn't asleep. Oh how happy that made the newcomer. 

"I was getting worried about you, Cecil." Spoke the owner of the apartment. His name: Carlos the Scientist. Perfectly imperfect Carlos or so his boyfriend called him. Those darken curls lined his features like artwork. He was the color of melted caramel with chocolate eyes. Truly melted Cecil's heart with just one look at him.

Now Cecil, Carlos' boyfriend, had just gotten back from his work at the radio station. He was the voice of Night Vale. The one to inform the town of news and everything else. Tired eyes had shown he was working too hard that day. It wasn't that bad, it's just being without an intern can load Cecil with work. The last intern he had had gone to get reports from Station Management and well hasn't been heard from since. Though Cecil had a feeling they might come back. Though if an intern wasn't back in about an hours time or before the radio show ended there was a high chance that the intern wouldn't be coming back and another report of a missing intern would be told on the radio. It happened too often, but no one noticed this.

Once Cecil had caught eyes with his boyfriend, he glided across the hardwood floors in his socks. His arms snaked around Carlos into a warm yet chilly embrace. The chill air had wrapped Cecil in a blanket and Carlos was a toasty marshmallow he wanted to warm up again. He was so glad to see him tonight. Sometimes he wasn't able to catch him before he went to bed. Tonight, Cecil thought, was going to be filled with nothing but sweet affection to Carlos. Which it was after Carlos had made Cecil eat supper that he had made a few hours ago. It had been a while since they had ate a decent meal together. Hopefully that could change over the weekend. Carlos wanted another date soon.

Doors were locked, most of the lights were once again off but the bedroom, and soft sounds from the record player playing a vinyl of classical rock filled the room. Most of the room anyway while the other part was filled with sweet sounds of affection from both of the men under the sheets. It wasn't anything subtle like some nights, but quiet enough not to be heard through the walls. No one didn't want to be complaining at this time of night. Another complaint wouldn't go well with the neighbors.

Once the needle kept skipping on the last note, whispers came from one of them tangled in the bed sheets. Creaks from the bed echoed in the darken room as one climbed out of the bed to pull up the needle and turn off the record player. Silence filled the air which was perfect to sleep in. Everything in that room was perfect to Cecil. Sure the room was a disaster with all the clothes scattered everywhere since the two barely had time to clean, but it was still perfect. Perfection with the perfectly imperfect Carlos sleeping next to him. It was a perfectly imperfect night to both of the sleeping men tangled in bed sheets.


	2. Just Another Broadcast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silence filled the room you are in. You're drowning. Take a deep breath and scream. Maybe that will help drain it. Welcome to Night Vale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have zero clue on how to attach a youtube link for the Weather so where it says Weather in bold, I advise you to go listen to What's Wrong by PVRIS. Yeah okay? Thanks. Also love your socks!

Sunlight was peeking out from the blinds onto the bed. It seemed to be the only alarm that woke up the blond still laying in bed trying to get a few extra minutes of sleep. Which tossing around in the sheets were making it harder to move. Sun flashed in the man's eyes for a good minute. That wasn't helping anything, so he decided to get out of bed and survive another day in Night Vale.

A sleepy voice filled the room and called out. "Hmm... Carlos?"

Silence.

Cecil, now sitting up on the bed, had sheets gathered around his bottom half. He waited for another minute before calling out for his boyfriend once again

"Carlos?"

Another moment filled with silence filled the room. That just gave Cecil a faint depressed feeling. It seemed that Carlos had gone to the lab early today. Important science must be done it seemed. That didn't bother Cecil. He'll catch up with him later after his broadcast. 

Speaking about his broadcast he needed to get ready for the day. He had everything planned out for the day. First shower then change into his colorful outfit. A purple striped long sleeved that was about a size too big, black and white smoke leggings, tie dye socks and a leather jacket to hide from the chilly breeze that was in the forecast. Brushed his hair the best he could hoping it looked decent, then brushed his teeth. The faint memory of Carlos' pearly whites entered his mind. He tried his best to shake that away.

After everything was done of his morning schedule, he grabbed an oatmeal bar from the pantry and headed off to the community radio station. Every so often, Carlos seemed to pop in his head, but each time the memory of him seem to be distance. It felt like days at first since he last saw his boyfriend then weeks, then months. He swore he just saw Carlos last night. His memory was always fuzzy. He was beginning to think this was happening since he didn't see the scientist this morning. That seemed to make sense. 

Once in the radio station he was greeted by a new face. A new intern. Cecil hear her call herself Galaxy? That seemed to be her name. That made sense. He was handed the folder of today's news. A quick glance inside was all he wanted, but he got a quick slap at his own hand by the intern.

"Just wait until you get into the studio, Palmer." She spoke with a sharp tongue. Almost like she didn't want to be here. College credit. That's what all the interns only wanted. Maybe that's why.

Once in the recording studio, Cecil took a seat at the desk with the microphone hanging above the desk. His purple headphones laid on the clean desk, which he took in both hands and secured them over his ears. A perfect fit each time. He took out the papers out of the file and laid them out neatly on the desk. News check, traffic yup, the community calendar of course, and the weather. Everything was there. A quick glance over at the glass that the intern was hiding behind was to get the okay to start up. A nod came from Galaxy showing Cecil had the right away.

☆☆☆☆

_Silence filled the room you are in. You're drowning. Take a deep breath and scream. Maybe that will help drain it. Welcome to Night Vale._

_Well listeners I swear I'm in a dream. Where I'm broadcasting to you or so I believe I am. Either way I shall bring you the news. Lately there has been a rush of growing cacti outside the whispering forest. Nothing odd about cacti growing in the desert. That's where they are usually found. Just these cacti produce different color liquids when cut. Now I'm not a scientist, I'm a journalist, but to my knowledge cactus juice is usually a pasty white color. Right now the cacti are creating... well it looks like I don't have anything on this._

_Hey Galaxy, she's my new intern. Intern Shawn hadn't come back from Station Management, so I'm guessing Station Management found me a new intern. Thanks. To the family of Intern Shawn we are deeply sorry for your lost. Back to what I was asking. Galaxy can you go to where the cacti are and get some information for the news? Thanks!_

_While Galaxy is on that, let's get to traffic. Roll down your window and look into the distance. Out of the corner of your eye you see small bundles of hedgehogs. Four bundles. Each bundle the hedgehogs have formed a circle. Chanting their songs of hedgehogness. Rolling down the road in a diamond pattern while singing, the hedgehogs go. Don't question their song choice just nod your head to the beat of the rhythm. Best to look away from them, if only one catches your eyes the song will stop and so will you. This has been traffic._

_Back to the cacti problem. Well it's not really a problem just something odd with the cacti. So a cacti problem. Galaxy has informed me that one of the cacti produces a steamy red color while another has a bluish tint when cut. Just be careful of the cactus...cacti? I heard they like to put up a fight if threaten. Cacti? Weird name. Why can't we just call them Cactuses or just Cactus? No that would get confusing. Cactuses it is. Galaxy says there's even one just -- wait I'm sorry I didn't get that. There seems to be some static on her end. I'll fix this while you listen to the community calendar._

_Monday is replaced with Thursday. Tuesday there will be a showing of The Shining at the Opera house. It says not to bring a flashlight, ones will be provided for you. Still don't understand what Opera is. Wednesday is a holiday involving pirates. Monday is simple. Friday there will be a curfew at ten. City Council hasn't said why. Hopefully more on this story later. Saturday the sun will be rising an hour later than usual so sleep in, only if you can't. Sunday is going to be a surprise. Don't say anything about Sunday. So...uh disregard what I just said._

_So Galaxy had her phone snatched by a cactus, but they got it back. Oh good! She liked to say that she's the only one out here. Well that's odd, what about the scientists? You think they would be listening to the show and going over to check out this science filled problem. Wait Galaxy can you repeat that. Stop talking about Scientists? Look, Galaxy I don't understand why I talk about them. I know they exist and they do, so don't tell me to stop talking about them. Scientists are wonderful. My boyfriend is-- Galaxy, stop yelling at me. I'm positive that-- Okay listeners I doubt you want to listen to Galaxy and I bicker back and forth so I shall bring you to the Weather._

****

**Weather**

Music stops over the air and there was just static. A creak from that sounded like a door and light footsteps echoed on the air. The voice was different. It wasn't the normal silk voice that seemed to either put listeners at ease or in panic. It was a silvery female's voice that echoed through the radios in Night Vale.

_Intern Gala here. Ugh it's not Galaxy. Who names their kid that? Anyway, sorry listeners it seems well when I came back Palmer wasn't in the recording studio. The cacti, which will always be called cacti, are back to normal. They do give a good punch at the gut. Nothing to worry about anything. So from all at the community radio station, we bid you a goodnight. So Night, Night Vale._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah 1200~ words! Yeah that's more like it. Okay sorry, not sorry about the cliffhanger. Just it felt right. Well again the cacti news was brought up in a chat. Did you like the weather choice? Took me hours to find one that fits well.


	3. What The Science?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something wasn't right and Cecil wanted to figure out why Scientists seem to be like a forbidden topic.

Kicked out of the radio station, that was a new one for Cecil. Luckily this wasn't the work of Station Management, but one of the workers. No he wasn't fired. He was just told to stop talking about scientists. He was told multiple times from his argument with Galaxy and the worker at the front desk to drop the conversation about scientist like it was a topic of nonexistence. Almost sounded it was an angel thing, which angels don't exist. Walking from the radio station, he decided to figure out why everyone wasn't talking about scientists for. He swore there were scientists. Heck he was dating one. His boyfriend, Carlos, was a scientist, so they had to exist. Thus, it shall be proven by Cecil that he wasn't losing his mind.

The science district was right next to Big Rico's Pizza. Probably be best to get some pizza later maybe even as a date if Carlos was still at the lab. The couple hadn't had a proper date in a few weeks. He should be, Cecil thought. The sun was still baking the desert community. That leather jacket was now tied around his waist. Way too hot for leather, but gosh there went his outfit. Oh well. He had a bigger problem then fashion.

Part of Cecil didn't want to knock on the door to the lab, but he knew he had to. It was best to knock then just burst in. Last time he did that, Carlos had almost dropped a flask of bright pink liquid on the ground. Probably wouldn't end well, but luckily he caught that. That memory of Cecil's was running low, but he still remembered it well. That caused him to knock on the door. Didn't want any of the scientists to make any unwanted reactions. Science was a delicate hobby or job or both.

Nothing. Silence seemed to be following Cecil today.

Okay, Okay maybe the scientists were in the middle of a very intense science experiment, Cecil thought. He gave it a minute before knocking again. This time slightly harder to produce a louder sound.

The door fell down into the dark, spooky room with a bang. Cecil was kind of glad it didn't fall towards him. Dust floated from the floor to the air. Cecil was pretty sure he didn't use all his strength to do that. He'll tell Carlos about that later. Right now, he was surprised to see nothing. He grabbed his phone and turned on the flashlight. The light bounced off a broken table a few feet in front of him. Dust and cobwebs seem to cover everything like a blanket. It seemed like no one had been there for years. the hinges on the door were completely rusted which explained why the door came down in front of the radio host.

"No No No... This isn't right." Cecil muttered to himself going further into the abandoned lab. He wasn't believing anything he saw in the lab. He couldn't. "Carlos? Carlos are you in here?" He coughed lightly as the dust around the room tickled his nose.

"Anyone?" He called out. He stopped when he heard a rustle of paper a few feet to his left. Hopes rocketed hearing sound. Proof that he wasn't alone. Quickly, his shined his phone to that direction and jumped slightly.

A family of rats had made a home in a pile of old papers. A disappointing sigh came from Cecil. Those high hopes of his came crashing back to Earth. Not as far as he thought though. He wasn't alone now it seemed. Those rats had helped him get a clue. The papers they were nestled in were scientific notes. Scientists always dated their research. Cautiously, he took one of the papers and read a date. Thirty years ago. No...No this wasn't right. Sure time was funky in Night Vale, but never had it ever skipped thirty years in one day, well if it did no one had recorded it. He was sure that a few months ago scientists had came and took up this place and made it a lab. Backing out of the darken room he headed back to the entrance of the lab. If that paper was correct then this was truly an abandon building like it had been a few months ago.

Something wasn't right and that was pretty much what Cecil's gut was telling him. Either this was a horrible prank on him to scare him or that this was a nightmare. He did say earlier that he wasn't feeling like he was awake. Maybe he should just head home and get some sleep. Escape the abandoned lab building and head home. Yes. That's what Cecil was going to do. Forget about the lab and forget about who he was looking for. Which was...well either way he forgot it.

His home would welcome him like usual. Lights off and left overs in the fridge. He past on that. All he wanted to do right now was flop on his bed and wake up from this nightmare or at least sleep it away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh!! Cut short again 800~ words. Oh well. Okay I just wanted to say that there's actually a name to that pink liquid ( I did it in chemistry), but I forgot. Go ask your local...uh well okay just google it if you have a computer license.


	4. Unknown Boyfriend

Morning was just a word that humans explain that the sun was waking up and as well with humans. The blinds weren't doing the best job of holding back the sun, since some of the rays poked at Cecil's eyes telling him to wake up. Surprised that his alarm didn't go off, but he just blamed it on time itself again. Maybe he already hit the snooze button and just forgot. Time seemed to be the enemy lately to Cecil. It took a few minutes for the tired radio host to wake up. 

A few light clashes came from the kitchen echoed down the hall and into the bedroom where Cecil was trying to get himself out of bed. The sudden sounds woke up everything and even caused some panic to flood through the man. His fight or flight nerves were buzzing all around. Leaning over the bed, he had found... a baseball bat? He couldn't remember owning a baseball bat? He didn't have the time to look for a different weapon, so the baseball bat will have to do the trick for now. Better than nothing. Quietly, he climbed out of bed in just his constellation covered pajama pants and headed to the kitchen. He needed to find the reason of the noise in the apartment.

He wasn't as light on his feet as he wished to be, since it seemed like the intruder had heard him. Stepping out from behind the opened cabinet door was a man. In one quick motion, Cecil hid the bat behind him to make sure this man didn't see it. This man had dark, rich black locks outlined the man's caramel skin. Milk chocolate eyes seemed to glisten in the kitchen lights. A smile was dressed on the man's face. A grey NASA T-shirt and black and white plaid pattern pajama pants covered the man's body. Then the intruder spoke with a creamy voice that was cheerful.

"Morning sleepy head. I was about to check on you darling."

This confused Cecil. This doctor, just invited himself in. A glance at the clock showed him that he still had a few hours before the doctor should arrive, but here he was. In the kitchen making breakfast. Never had any doctor ever broken in his house. How did he even get in? He swore that he locked the door last night before getting into bed.

"Carlos? You aren't suppose to be here until... eight." Cecil spoke in a somewhat confused. He had placed the bat against the doorway to the kitchen.

"What do you mean? We live together. Don't you remember?" There seemed to be fear slowly coloring his tone. How could Cecil forget that he lived with his boyfriend? 

"I live alone. I've been living alone since I moved out of my family's house." He took a step closer to Carlos.

"I live here with you, Cecil. I have for a few months now." Carlos gave a worried look at Cecil. He wasn't sure how to fix this. "I'm not going to hurt you, Cecil. I'll never--"

"I live alone. You should know that." He growled cutting into Carlos' statement. "Look if you have no business here, then leave." He added before grabbing the baseball bat.

Cecil's raised voice spooked Carlos. Maybe it was best to leave and come back to the problem later. It didn't make any sense on why Cecil would explode on him. Scared him. Was it something he said last night? He hoped not. He grabbed his lab coat and headed out of the apartment. It was too early to report to the lab, but it seemed like it was the only place to go this early. No one would be there so it would be quiet. He would be able to rethink on what happened. There was a scientific explanation on why this happened and Carlos was going to find out.

☆☆☆☆

Alone in the lab, Carlos was tapping the dry erase marker on his chin looking at the board covered in ink. Faint dots of red were being drawn on his face while he was doing this. He had written down what had happened this morning in the kitchen and what had happened the night before. (Plus cute little doodles of science covered in hearts.) Nothing was adding up. Never had he seen his boyfriend raise his voice at him or even provoke violence.

Two columns were written on the board. This morning and Last night. Getting up and making breakfast was the only thing written down under 'This Morning'. Dark house, sneaking up to Cecil, cuddles, and sweet talk were all written under 'Last Night'. Carlos couldn't figure out why any of this could connect to Cecil's burst of violence and forgetting about him living in the same house. This seemed more like a Sherlock Holmes problem than a scientist one. Carlos was truly stuck.

Then a small hypothesis popped up in his mind. The only way he could test this out was to contact Abby. Abby knew Cecil better than anyone, better than Carlos himself. All he hoped was she could help explain what happened. So that's what Carlos did. He called up Abby waiting for an answer.

"Hello?" Spoke a soft silk voice from inside the phone.

"Hi, Abby? It's Carlos. I was wondering if I could stop by later today. It's about Cecil." Carlos spoke in a sadden tone. He hated talking about his boyfriend behind his back, but it didn't seem like it was his boyfriend but it was. 

"Yeah sure. I'm free around one later today. I'll love to chat with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this is gonna make sense in the future.


	5. Abby's Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos decided to go talk with Abby, Cecil's sister, about what had happened in the apartment. Hopefully she would have something to say about what happened.

It was eerily quiet in the house as a mother was finishing up some cookies. Her husband was at the school helping with the PTA meeting and her child was still in class. With the Spring Fling creeping up, sweets had to be made, but they weren't made just for that. They were great for comfort food. Chocolate and sweets always helped calm anyone down. Abby thought it would be perfect for Carlos who was coming over. It had been a while since it was just him visiting. 

A knock on the door showed that Carlos had arrived, a bit early, but what is time really in Night Vale? Abby put the hot tray onto the stove to cool before heading to the front entrance to get the door. Flour covered her cream blouse and her black jeans. As she opened the door, the smell of gooey chocolate escaped and tackled the figure standing on the porch.

"Oh Carlos! Come in come in." Abby spoke happily. She looked so similar to Cecil in ways that almost spooked Carlos. Her silvery blonde hair was pulled to a side pony tail, much longer than Cecil's but the same color. She didn't have the 'neat' fashion sense that Cecil had. Even her violet eyes echoed memories about Cecil to Carlos.

A smile came to Carlos as he walked in. The smell of warm chocolate and cookies seemed to make Abby's home so welcoming. "Sorry about the short notice, it's just... it's Cecil. I don't know what's wrong with him today."

Abby had led him to the living room and gestured to sit anywhere before going to get a plate of the freshly baked cookies and a nice glass of limeade. After coming back, she laid the two glasses on the table as well with the plate of cookies. Waitress type skills, Abby had.

"So what happened?" She asked before sitting down. "Oh help yourself." She added before Carlos was able to speak.

He couldn't help himself but explained everything that happened that morning before taking one of the cookies. After finishing the cookie he explained pieces of last night. Nothing too informative for Abby. She probably didn't want to hear that. So that was kept out. After talking he went on about his hypothesis about her helping.

"Never have I heard Cecil threaten someone nor become violent. To me, I couldn't help but leave. I was hoping, since you are his sister, you might be able to help him and figure out why he suddenly forgot that I lived with him." He was worried. Of course he was worried, but he was scared. He was scared that his boyfriend was going to be like this forever. It just breaks his heart thinking about that. He had felt like he would drift out of Night Vale. As quickly as that thought came, he tried to push it away. He couldn't think like that.

A frown seem to rest on Abby's pinkish lips hearing this. She had heard her brother lose his temper a few times, but never on people he loved. This was quite different that she expected. It even scared her. Her hands hugged the glass of limeade as she tried to think of something to say. This seemed like something she needed to see for herself or at least hear from her own brother.

"Here I can call him up. His show shouldn't start for another hour correct?" Horrible of a sibling to forget what time her own brother's show was, but it seemed it changed every day. It all depended on who was broadcasting before him.

Carlos nods. "Today, yes." Carlos on the other hand had his schedule on his phone this week. Cecil always texted him on when it started and when it would end. Every Monday he sent him the schedule of the week. 

Abby got up and went to grab her phone. It was best to use her cell phone for this just in case Cecil thought the house was being called by Steve. She called up her brother and waited. It took a few moments, but luckily she heard her brother's voice.

"Cecil, it's Abby." She spoke softly in a calm voice. She was waiting for an outburst or something, but that didn't happen.

Cecil found it odd that his sister was calling her. Was there something wrong? "Oh hey Abby!" There was that bubbly voice still coming from him. 

"I wanted to ask how you've been. We haven't spoken in a while." A great excuse from the older sibling.

"We talked the -- You'll never guess what happened today! So when I woke up the scientist came by, but an hour too early."

As Cecil began to explain on what happened earlier today, Abby put him on speaker allowing Carlos to hear Cecil's point of view. She gestured for him to be quiet when she did so.

"So I wasn't able to find my pistol, you know the one that father had? Anyway so I found a baseball bat, odd right? Who plays that? Back to the point. The scientist was in my kitchen like he owned the place. He even called me babe! Like doesn't he know that the City Council would throw a fit if they found out about a scientist and I? It scared the heck out of me. I yelled at him to get out and so he did. Breaking into apartments and calling people babe is sooo-- ugh well I gotta go this intern is making me start my broadcast! What happened to Intern Gala? Well TTYL sis!" Cecil quickly hung up not giving Abby enough time to say bye as well.

Abby and Carlos just stared at each other baffled. First, a gun? Abby couldn't remember her father owning a gun, plus Cecil knew that guns don't kill people. Carlos never heard stories about Intern Gala. Cecil always talked about his interns to Carlos in texts or before bed so this Gala was new.

More ideas were filling up in Carlos' head after hearing about what Cecil had to say.

"I think I need to pay _Cecil_ a visit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1000 words! Yes! Also note to self don't write with a migraine. Bad idea. Hey let's meet up at the Radio Station, okay?


	6. Same Voice, Different Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos catches Cecil during his broadcast, to talk to him on what he learned about from Abby and what had happened earlier that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, just me again saying what the Weather is cause this Galactic Radio Host doesn't know still how to link youtube videos. So just like chapter 2, when it says Weather, go listen to Psycho Killer by The Talking Heads. Okay? Hey, good luck tomorrow.

"Boss you're cutting it close." The intern said tapping his wrist gesturing that it was time to start the broadcast.

Cecil waved him off before ending his phone call with his sister. His headphones were placed over his ears and gave his intern a thumbs up to turn on the equipment from behind the window.

☆☆☆☆ 

_Well evening listeners and welcome to Night Vale. I have a question to ask you. Have you ever had anyone break in your own home and just pretend to be your boyfriend? Well that is what happened this morning. So this guy was a doctor, cause of the lab coat, who usually stops by every morning, was raiding my cabinets and said "hey babe" in the most casual voice! Like one, don't ever break in my house and two we aren't in a relationship so don't call me babe!_

Intern Shawn seemed surprised. Everyone in Night Vale knew who Cecil was talking about. His name was Carlos and he was a scientist. Carlos and Cecil had been dating for about a year, so this broadcast was something strange. Intern Shawn had knocked on the glass to try to get Cecil's attention. Which it did.

_Oh great. Intern...uh what was your name again? Well that probably doesn't matter, you might not live to hear the end of this broadcast. Cecil laughed. He made a threat and laughed. It echoed on everyone's radio._

A threat on the radio wasn't something to joke about. Intern Shawn just looked shocked. Okay maybe the odds were high on dying, but he tried to ignore that. Right now it felt like he should go into the field and stay away from his boss. A few step back showed that he wanted to stay away from Cecil.

_Ah right, where was I listeners? Oh right! So white coat. So you all know that white coats come by each morning making sure that you are following your daily routine. I'm use to seeing him come by at eight sharp, but never had I seen a --hey Intern whoever you are stop trying to break in. Wait is that...NO! I told you to leave me alone! I'm fine!_

_Listeners it seems like the intern is trying to break into my studio with that man who I was talking about earlier. The one who broke into my house. Yes. Well he's-- Get away from the door! Hold on listeners I need to take care of some business. I'll just bring you to the weather I guess._

**WEATHER**

 _I'm sorry listeners. It seems like I have to turn off my broadcast for today. Carlos isn't very happy, and I don't blame him. Anyway listeners, I say farewell and a goodnight to Night Vale, goodnight._

The equipment was turned off by Intern Shawn staring down Cecil. With a cut across his face and bruises forming on his arms and chest showed that the intern gave a good fight against his boss. No where in the job description said anything about tying the boss to a chair and forcing him to stop the broadcast quickly. 

Shawn knew how hard this was on Carlos. That was his boyfriend or well someone who looked and somewhat acted like Cecil, but after today's broadcast it was known that Cecil wasn't Cecil. All Shawn could think of was he was brainwashed by Strexcorp, but that didn't seem very logical. There wasn't anything very Desert Bluffs about Cecil. No worshiping a Smiling God or wanting to redecorate the studio with interns. Well the way Cecil had fought maybe he did want to use Shawn as paint. So there went that idea, which was good, but was there something worse than Strexcorp?

Shawn, who seemed like the only one brave enough spoke up and questioned his boss. "Okay Palmer if that is truly your name. Where is Cecil at? Cause Carlos here doesn't believe you are actually--" He was stopped short by Cecil.

A laugh came from Cecil before speaking. "Well he should know why I'm not myself. He forgot something." Noticing Carlos in the doorway caused him to smirk at the scientist. A dark chuckle came from the radio host. Blood was dripping down from his arm where he was attacked. Cecil wasn't even phased by it.

Shawn glanced over at Carlos and shrugged. He had no clue on what was happening to Cecil, but it seemed like it was because of Carlos. What did Carlos do to Cecil this morning to cause this kind of reaction from his boss?

"Carlos...Maybe uh...you should step out?" Shawn seemed worried to tell the scientist that. He would have to be alone with this. It seemed like it would be best since how Cecil reacted. Heck he had just fought his own boss and being alone with him didn't make him feel safe.

Sadly, Carlos nods before leaving the room. Worried about Shawn. That couldn't be right. Never had Cecil ever seemed to have a dark look in his eyes. This was only increasing the likelihood that that person in the recording studio wasn't Cecil or well the Cecil Carlos had fallen in love with a year ago. All that Carlos could think of right now was: what happened to the Cecil he knew? Where was he?

Soon a crash came from behind the door where Cecil and the intern were in. Panic and worry waved over Carlos before he was able to open the door. There he froze in the doorway seeing what had happened. 

"Well hello there again Carlos!" Cecil said with a bright smile. Blood was splattered across his purple hoodie and constellation pants. That wasn't the end of the crimson in the room. It seemed to be flowing to his eyes as well. No! Cecil had violet eyes not red.

"You're not from here." Carlos said in a slightly worried tone as he tensed up. Whoever he was talking about seemed worse than someone from Desert Bluffs.

"Well... of course I am! Born and raised in Night Vale." As Cecil grinned his tongue licked up the blood that was dripping from his hands. "Oh by gods, I haven't had that in years thanks to you, doc or should I actually say Scientist. All of you are scientists. You aren't here you fix us. You're here to do some illegal tests like we are guinea pigs." A dark laugh came from Cecil as he looked over to Carlos.

A fearful expression seem to rest on Carlos looking at Cecil. He tried to think of this problem like a scientific problem. Question: How to get this Cecil back home and find his Cecil. Hypothesis: Well he had a feeling Cecil would have an idea about that, but how he was acting, he wouldn't work with him well. He was going to have to talk to his fellow scientists about this. Hopefully someone would know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To the family of intern Shawn, I'm sorry. He was a great man. Also what have I done? I'm sorry Carlos man of science. I shall make it up to you. I should advise you to listen to the Weather. It actually will make sense in the later scenes for Cecil. Also still don't have a clue how to put a link in this.


	7. Don't Forget Your Meds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning once more. Silence and Cecil, alone together. It's not all that bad, actually someone at the door had scared away the silence, just who was it?

Sweat beaded on the sleeping man as he kicked off the bed sheets. Tossing and turning showed that the man was having a nightmare. It had been years since that had ever happened. Yet here he was having one. Faint mutters came from the man as he was trying to wake himself up. With one extra turn, he crashed to the floor next to the bed. A groan showed that he was finally awake. Back to silence. It was truly haunting him lately. His only friend.

On the ground, he didn't see a reason to go back to bed. He couldn't now. Afraid that he would get another nightmare and well he really could use a cold shower. As he got up from the floor, the bed was once again empty. No wonder no one had called out to ask if he was alright. It was just him again. Why would he be sharing his apartment anyway As he was about to go take a shower, the door bell rang. Eight was a bit early for visitors? Oh well he went to check who was at the door anyway. He couldn't be rude.

A smile grew while on the man's face as he saw who was at the door. He swung the door open and pulled Carlos into a hug. "It was all a dream. Oh how wonderful. I'm so glad you are here." It was a tight longing hug like Cecil hadn't seen his boyfriend in years.

Carlos froze there as he was being hugged. This was new. Usually he would get something thrown at him or get yelled at. So maybe what he was doing was helping. This would be wonderful, but science doesn't work overnight.

"Uh... Cecil, thank you, but I need you on the couch and you shirt off." Carlos spoke in a very professional tone.

Cecil let go of Carlos and nods before skipping to the couch and roughly tore off his shirt. "Shall I lay down or sit up?" There was a huge grin growing on his face. He knew exactly where this was going. He just wasn't sure what position he was needed in.

A sigh came from Carlos as he followed the bubbly radio host. "Sitting up is fine." He responded. He pulled up the chair closer to the couch where Cecil was sitting.

With the bag he had brought it in, he pulled out a bottle with greenish liquid and set it on the floor next to the chair. Thicker than water, but not as thick syrup. Cecil watched curiously. It wasn't rare for Carlos to take his work home, but this was something different. Once again, Carlos pulled out another bottle, but this one wasn't clear and didn't have any liquid in it. There seemed to be pill like objects inside the orange color bottle. This seemed to worry Cecil. Odd liquids and pills? Was he going to tested on?

"Carlos...what, what are those for?" Cecil spoke cautiously.

With that being said Carlos chuckled. "Cecil, we do this every week. Is everything okay?" He asked before reaching over to feel Cecil's forehead. It didn't feel warm, average.

"I'm fine and we don't do this every week though." That's what scared Cecil. He was starting to feel uncomfortable with his shirt off. 

"Yes we do." Carlos stated as he tried to feel for a pulse in Cecil's wrist. Average...for a radio host anyway. "Now okay, I need you too take one each day like we promised." He added before handed him the orange pill bottle. "We will know if you miss a day or take more than one." 

With a tilt of his head, Cecil looked confused at his boyfriend. "When did you become a doctor? You're a scientist." He wasn't sure if he should take the pills the bottle he was just handed or not. Something seemed off. Never had Carlos ever prescribed medicine for him. No one had ever done that and the fact that it was in an orange bottle seemed like they came from Strexcorp. That he didn't trust.

"Since always. You've known that. Now take one of the pills with this." Carlos wasn't enjoying answering these pitiful questions. He knew that Cecil always knew these. He had stated them the first time they met.

"No." It was a sharp response from Cecil.

"No?"

"No. I'm sorry Carlos, but I'm not taking any weirdly colored drink with some probably Strexcorp meds."

There was a few seconds of silence, but it felt like hours to Cecil before Carlos made a noise. A laugh. "You think I would give you Strexcorp approved pills? Those are for the insane, which..." Carlos looked towards Cecil's eyes to figure out if he was or not. "I-Impossible."

Carlos had jumped out of the chair and took a few steps away from Cecil noticing the purple eyes. He had swore last time he had checked on Cecil that his eyes were yellow, not violent violet. Had the pills he was giving Cecil reversed? No. It had been years since they had finally corrected Cecil. The couldn't have done this over a week, could it? Carlos needed to call back up if Cecil had these purple irises. 

Quickly, Carlos had called up a few of his co-workers to get some help. He was worried on what happened to Cecil. This was a scientific problem that needed to be tested. 

"Yes, I need a few extra hands here. Patient 72-12 is back to stage one. The pills have reversed his progress. No-- Look he has purple eyes! I promise you that-- No you listen to me, Lane. I am your boss, so you get Victor and...yes bring those. I told you those will be needed for any Psychs." A sigh came from Carlos as he was going off on his co-workers.

To Cecil, he wasn't making any sense, so he decided to ask. He was worried on what was happening. "Babe? What are you talking about?"

Hearing that 'babe' caused Carlos to stop talking to his co-worker. Babe was a word that couples would use as pet names, and Cecil wasn't dating Carlos. To Carlos' knowledge, Cecil's last relationship was with Earl ended a few months ago. Why he was being called babe by his patient wasn't something Carlos knew. Though all he had to do is tell Cecil that they weren't in a relationship. A doctor patient relationship was absurd and against regulations. "Hold on." He said before handing up the phone and turned to Cecil. "Cecil, you know that we aren't in a relationship. Never have we ever been in a relationship." He wasn't going to say they would never be in one just in case he lost his nerve.

There was a few moments of just silence as Cecil had thought that through. Carlos wasn't his boyfriend? No. He had been dating for a few months...right? Maybe it was longer, but he couldn't remember his memory was a bit fuzzy. All he knew was that he was dating Carlos. This wasn't the only thing that seemed off. Intern Shawn wasn't at the station like he was the day before, the lab next to Big Rico's was abandoned, and scientists weren't some forbidden thing to talk about.

As soon as Cecil was about to state his findings from yesterday, a sharp pain was produced on his right arm. A faint 'I'm sorry' echoed through his head before he lost vision and balance. Falling sideways, Cecil seemed to be drugged by Carlos. His own...no, this person who says he's Carlos drugged him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you confused? Do you understand what's happening? Right down what you are thinking before you read the next chapter.


	8. Scientifically Fascinating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> White walls, white ceiling, white clothes. The room was colorless and seemed to be draining every emotion except fear from Patient 72-12.

The room was silent. Right now that seemed to scare Cecil ever since that day he had woke up. Silence was becoming a friend to Cecil and he truly wished it wasn't. It seemed to lurk more often the faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home. Though she didn't seem to roam the halls of this building since no one was truly living there, or the owners were able to run her out. No one is truly sure. Silence was just deadlier than the Faceless old woman and Cecil was trapped with it.

He stared up at the ceiling since he was laying down on his back. White. Same as the walls as he turned his head. White. Everything was white. Even the clothes he was changed into were white. The only color that was in the room were his eyes and faint markings on his arms. The slight purple did ease him. Though they were barely showing. It was fear that was hiding them. He didn't blame them for hiding. He would to if he was able to. 

There was a soft knock on the white door that was on the other side of the room. Silence hide and Cecil was glad for that, but he couldn't be too joyful. Who knows what lurked behind the door. Cecil pulled himself up and leaned against the headboard of the bed, staring at the door. Who ever it was, they had forced him here. Forced him in this colorless room. He didn't say anything. He was afraid to until he knew who it was. A click echoed in the room before the door slowly opened.

Carlos. It was Carlos the Scientist, but it wasn't the Carlos he knew. It was the Carlos who drugged him. It wasn't _his_ Carlos. He still had a lab coat, but he wasn't any science pun shirt. He still had a clipboard with numerous papers, but this clipboard didn't have the 'NVCR' sticker that Cecil gave him after their third date. With the same looks, but with a different history and occupation. He wasn't a scientist. He was a doctor. 

"Ah...you're awake." Carlos smiled towards Cecil as he walked over to his patient. "I was hoping you wouldn't be. Science sometimes can be painful, yes?" He had placed the clipboard on the small night stand before he pulled out a needle from his pocket that seemed to be connected to a glass vile. "I need some blood work."

The radio host understood that blood work was something doctors would do to get mysterious tests about their patient, but never had he heard about scientists taking blood. Well not on humans anyway. It was always on animals they would take blood for their experiment, or so Carlos would say. The Carlos he knew. He tried his best to squirm away from Carlos and the needle, but he didn't have anywhere to go. He was cornered. He just let Carlos take the blood. He didn't fight back.

There was a sharp pain from the needle piercing the skin of his upper arm. The needle was sucking up blood. It was the normal color. From the needle, down the plastic tube and into the glass vile, the blood traveled. After Carlos was done and the vile was filled, Carlos pulled the needle out and covered the small hole with a band-aid. 

"There. That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Carlos said before pocketing the vile and the needle. Both in different pockets. He would need to throw away that needle. "I will be back in an hour to give you your medicine, so don't you go anyway." He added with a smile before leaving the room. Another click echoed the room showed that the door was locked and he was stuck in the room.

Silence was back once again, so Cecil wasn't really alone. He itched at his arm where the band-aid was now stuck to. His violet eyes glanced down at that band-aid before he tore it off. The hairs on his arm were tugged off by the sticky substance on the band-aid. He balled it up and threw it at the wall. A tear had ran down his cheek as he did so. He missed _his_ Carlos. He missed _his_ boyfriend.

Carlos had tilted the vile in his hands watching the blood flow back and forth in the glass tube. It wasn't the normal color he had seen from Cecil. No this was red instead of the golden yellow he had seen from him. With the eye color change and now the blood, he was slowly forming a hypothesis that the Cecil in that room wasn't the Cecil he had been testing on. So where was this Cecil he had been testing on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my Smiling God! This is way too short than I wanted. Less than 800 words. GAH! I'll make it up to you in the next chapter. I promise!


	9. Portal Problems?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos had an hypothesis, just like every scientist would make. He wasn't sure if this plan of his was going to work, but all he hoped was no one would die. Cecil had agreed to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't listened to Old Oak Doors then a slight spoiler is ahead. WARNING!

With the ingredients laid out on the table in front. A nonsexist angel's feather, a vial of blood from Cecil(who agreed with science, oddly), and hair from a traveler. Carlos had read each instruction about this chemical mixture, but he still wasn't sure on if this was going to work. He had experience already with other worlds, but he was still unsure about this. Either way he had no other choice. He needed to find _his_ Cecil. He mixed up the ingredients with a can of Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. He handed one glass to Cecil and he kept the other.

"Bottoms up." Cecil smirked before downing the drink.

Followed by Carlos in suit. He swore under his breath. It was worse than anything he had ever had. Never would he be able to drink a Cherry Vanilla soda the same.

The last part was well...something Carlos would never have done. Cecil grabbed Carlos' arm before pulling him along as he jumped out a window. Glass shattered as the two bodies made contact. The strange part was they weren't outside, they were in the same room they just were. They were in the lab next to Big Rico's, but this one was abandoned. Almost the same feeling Carlos got when he first had seen the place. Oddly with glass scattered around the floor, there were no broken windows. 

Cobwebs and creatures of the dark lurked in the lab. To Carlos, it felt like they time traveled. It was legal, but that wasn't' what he was going for. Time travel wouldn't have been so pleasant. No it would've been torturous. This was just traveling to another dimension or universe. Carlos wasn't in that field of science to figure out the difference. Either way, they were where they wanted to be.

First thing first of their plan was to check out Cecil's house. Location wasn't different so it wasn't that far. The only thing different was that Cecil lived alone. It started to worry him where Carlos' clone... double? No. His doppelganger. He couldn't think of any name for this version of him. Right now they had bigger problems then double Carlos's. They had to find Cecil's doppelganger, Cecil the original?

It was silent on the way to the apartment. Carlos followed Cecil behind, slightly cautiously. He knew better than to trust this Cecil, but he still wanted to trust him. In a way it was still Cecil he knew and love, but not. Either way, he kept his distance of Cecil.

Once the two got there, Cecil opened the door slowly. There was always a chance that a scientist had broken in and hid in the apartment, but it didn't seem so. A red light would've been on if that happened. The only light that was on was the one over the sitting room where there can be a faint dip of blood was on the couch. The lamp on the side table was on the ground with the shattered light bulb. There had seem to be a brawl or some trouble that happened in the house. 

"He's not here." Cecil said in a snap noticing the scene. "He was here, but they took him." He added before heading to the kitchen. It seemed that Cecil had a plan, or he was just hungry. Maybe both as he grabbed the jar of peanut butter and a spoon.

Carlos sighed before taking a seat at the two chaired table. He had a feeling that this happened. Gosh where could he have gone? Cecil in a world that was similar to theirs, but very different. He laid his arms down on the table before resting his head on them.

"Hey, look...I may not be Cecil you wanted, but you are pretty cute." He smirked as he ate a spoonful of peanut butter. That tongue (was it forked?) seemed to make sure to get all the peanut butter off the spoon.

Carlos glared at Cecil at that comment. "No offense, but you tried to kill me with a baseball bat." He went back to staring at the wall.

A shrug came from the red eyed radio host. "Then in that case, we go with a plan. It might be dangerous, someone could die." He joked. "But it's a plan to get you and your boyfriend back home."

Carlos was worried about that joke, but what else did he have to go through? It seemed like the only way out of this mess was to trust Cecil and go save his boyfriend. "Alright." He started off. "What's the plan?" All Carlos hoped was no one was going to die. 

"First we need to get into the building they are keeping your precious lover." Cecil said before walking over to the window and opened the blinds slightly. Off in the distance was a building. Almost every window had a faint yellow tint to it. "StrexMed or what the patients call it, Stress Hell." He laughed. 

So it seemed Strexcorp was actually a business. Did Strexcorp actually take over Night Vale? There were a few buzzing questions in his head, but right now all he needed to focus on was the plan Cecil was telling him. Break into Strexcorp. Yeah that wasn't a suicide mission. All he hoped was that Cecil was alright.


	10. This Is A Horrible Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This was a horrible plan." Carlos said tugging on his collar. He was dressed like he usually was, but instead of a science pun shirt, it was a collar, button down one.

"This was a horrible plan." Carlos said tugging on his collar. He was dressed like he usually was, but instead of a science pun shirt, it was a collar, button down one. He felt like the collar was choking him.

"Well you had a better idea?" Cecil argued quietly as he walked beside Carlos who was gripping his wrist, too gently to make this look believable. "You grip like a child. I like pain, doc." He smirked up at the scientist.

Carlos rolled his eyes and tightened his grip. It felt weird to harm Cecil, even though it wasn't Cecil, but it is? Wow look a headache was coming on. He ignored that as he headed to the front gates of the building.

First there was static, then a voice who sounded a bit familiar, but no one could figure out who it belong to. "Doctor name and...Patient number." It stated. That meant there was a video camera watching them. Not only did they have to sound professional at the front gate, but also look professional.

Carlos cleared his throat before speaking. "Carlos. Number 72-12." He took a breath after speaking. There were nervous jitters attacking him. Oh how he hoped this was working. If not death would soon be lurking on them.

There was static that covered the silence that lingered, before the voice came back. "We already have Patient 72-12 in quarantine, Carlos." 

Worry covered Carlos in a blanket. This was what he was fearing. "Well check again, but he is standing right next to me." He snapped. Those acting classes were finally paying off.

"Right...Right, sorry Carlos." The voice stuttered before opening the gates for the patient and scientist to walk right in. 

"Alright..." Cecil mumbled softly, only for Carlos to hear. "This is where it gets tricky. Once inside, I won't be able to talk. You'll have to take the stairs on the right. He said quarantine, so that's the third level. Take a left at the stairs and it should be the twelfth door on the left. It should be there. Fingerprint to open the door. Then he--" He was caught off as the two walked in the building.

He wasn't lying. He really couldn't talk in the building. Must be some sort of chip in his brain to disconnect the nerves to stop him from talking. Science thoughts helped calm down Carlos as he followed the instructions to Cecil's room. He kept to himself with Cecil following close behind. Avoid eye contact and any gestures that would strike up a conversation. Not many workers were questioning them on why Carlos was leading up Cecil to the room. Though a few greeted Carlos and he just nodded back. He had a patient, he didn't have time for talk. He was glad for that, because he had zero clue on what to talk about if one did try to.

As they reached the top of the stairs on the third floor, Carlos had forgotten if he should've taken a left or a right. He glanced over at Cecil who was pulling him to the left. He could hear a sigh coming from Cecil who was now almost dragging Carlos to the quarantine room.

They stopped at the door that read " **C. Palmer Patient 72-12** ". Correct room. The scientist pressed his finger on the metallic pad. A slight prick pinched his thumb. Blood test it seemed. With a click the door opened.

"Cecil?" Carlos said softly as he let go of the other Cecil's hand and pushed the door open. Inside was Cecil dressed in all white and ghostly features. Fear had taken over him. Those once violet eyes were turning a light pink. Side effect of the drugs he was being pumped with.

Cecil coward away from the scientist, until he saw a mirror image of him. Just not in all white and with red eyes. That must have been the Cecil, the scientist had talked about earlier.

"Okay this might be weird, but this is _your_ Carlos, Cecil." Cecil said, the only wearing regular clothes. He needed to break that silence that was forming.

Cecil, the one in fear, looked up at the two. First at Carlos, then at the other Cecil, back at Carlos. "Love?" His voice was weak, but it still had hope. Slowly, he climbed to his feet. He was leaning against the wall. Whatever was in his blood stream was truly stealing his energy.

A nod came from Carlos as he slipped further into the room. "Cece, we need to get out of here."

"You go with Carlos. Switch clothes and get out of here. I have plans on this." Cecil spoke taking off his shirt. "Carlos, turn around." He added. He didn't want the scientist to see his scared body or well his nude body in the first place.

Without having time to agree, Cecil was taking off the white patient uniform and putting on the clothes that the other Cecil had worn in.

After the two changed clothes, Cecil, the one now wearing the patient bracelet and white uniform, pushed the two out of the room. "Go before I force you out!" He argued and pushed him out.

The two lovers nods and ran out. Carlos took Cecil's hand and ran down the stairs. He knew the way out. Adrenaline was rushing down both of the boy's blood stream. They could see the door in front of them. The gate to the outside. Out of the corner of Cecil's eye he spotted a moving body. Before Cecil could give out a warning, Carlos was knocked out then just in suit a hard surface connected with Cecil's head knocking him unconscious.

"Well... this will be fun." It was a dark chuckle who had hit the two. "Intern Shawn, Intern Gala. Get those two in my lab, make them...comfortable." It was Carlos. The Carlos from this world. Universe? Dimension? Either way it was Carlos who was standing behind the two unconscious bodies. "Just where is _my_ patient 72-12?" He questioned to himself.


	11. Fighting For...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stupid plan seemed to fail, and Cecil and Carlos had bigger problems on their hands. How can they get out of this mess when they are tied up and well not secret agents?

The burning lights in the room stared down at Cecil and Carlos. It was one way to wake up Carlos. Cecil was still passed out next to his boyfriend. It hurt to see Cecil tied up in a metal chair adjacent to him. His arms were tied behind the chair while his feet were tied to the feet of the chair. Both were unable to move. Either it was from their muscles still trying to wake them up or it was the clear liquid dripping down into a needle attached to their wrist. 

"Ah... Well you're awake." There was a darken smile twisted on the Doctor. Carlos spun a scalpel on his finger. "This makes it so much better. It's always better when my patients are awake."

Waking up was the hardest part of the day, but right now it was the easiest thing. Carlos just glared at his doppelganger. Anger, frustration, and hatred. Oh how he wanted to stop the man in front of him from doing who knows what later. The problem he had was, he was tied up. Though Carlos has seen way too many action movies where the good guy gets captured to figure a way out of his.

"Congrats. You've captured us... What's your big plan now?" He questioned. He wanted to fill that ego of Carlos', if he had one anyway.

That seemed like a big question to answer, and Carlos knew he should answer that. Scientist to Scientist or more so Doctor to Scientist. That seemed to fit him more than a Scientist. He was trying to help his patients. That's what doctor's do, right? Back to the point of what Carlos was thinking.

"You would love to hear them wouldn't you? Let me guess, you'll try to escape while I just talk and talk about world domination or something." He put the scalpel down and walked over to his doppelganger. Tightly, he gripped the other's chin pulling him up to make eye contact. "Listen to me Carlos, you know that everyone in Night Vale isn't sane. No one is. This hell hole is a pit of insanity and violence if you wanted to throw in the Desert Bluffs."

This wasn't what he plan, but he was still talking so he was able to squirm his hands slightly to loosen the rope around his wrists. Just damn! This was taking longer than it does in the movies. Darn you James Bourne.

Carlos had let go of Carlos' chin and turned his back to him. "Look the reason I'm here helping Strexcorp is because it's a family company. They needed more scientists to help out with the amount of patients that have been admitted to the asylum. It's sad really..." He grabbed the knife that laid next to the scalpel before continuing. "how a town this size could go unnoticed by the rest of the world."

Carlos watched his doppelganger walk closer to Cecil, who is still passed out in the chair. The knife in his hand was frightening. Horrible ideas rushed in his head. Right as that knife met Cecil's arm, Carlos yelled. He couldn't watch his boyfriend be tortured and not stop the torturer.

"No! Don't you hurt him! Don't you freaking touch him!" Carlos yelled squirming in the seat. Cecil saw him as a hero, even though he's not, he will try to be a hero to Cecil. He will try his best to protect his boyfriend. The only way Carlos could think of was yelling at the other Carlos to stop him.

Carlos, the one with the knife, turned on his heels to turn his attention to the Carlos, tied up. "What?" There was anger in his voice. The scientist wasn't a fan of being stopped in his experiments, so he was slightly ticked off. His hand was gripping that knife harder as time past. "Oh you want me to test it on you first?" He added as he walked away from Cecil.

It was almost a death glare shooting at Carlos as he saw his doppelganger walking towards him. His shoes clicked on the tile. The only noise that seemed to echo louder than Carlos' heartbeat. He swore it would break out of his chest and drop to the floor. The surgical knife ghosted on his neck. Fear was taking control of the scientist as he tried to lean back into the chair. Slowly the knife traced up his knife and to his cheek.

"It'll be like testing myself." Carlos chuckled pressing the knife harder onto the scientist. "Patient... hmm let's give you number 00-01 testing pain levels." In one quick motion that knife sliced his cheek. Not too deep to do any permanent scaring, but enough for the scientist to scream in agony.

Tears mixed with the blood down the scientist's cheek. Pain seemed to pulse in him. His heartbeat was pounding in his face, almost like his heart was held in his mouth. A sadden glance was shot towards Cecil. A silent 'I"m Sorry' came from Carlos as he saw slight movement from his boyfriend. It seemed like Carlos' cry of pain had woken up the radio host.

"C-Carlos?" Muttered Cecil as he pulled his head up to look what was happening. Carlos had a knife and Carlos was bleeding. No. His Carlos was bleeding. He was still trying to recollect on what happened and how he was tied to the chair.

"Oh look, your boyfriend is awake to watch you be--" Words stopped forming from Carlos after a loud bang from a metal pole hit the man's head. A thud was followed as the man's body plummeted to the tile floor. Slight oozing of a golden color liquid traveled down to the floor.

Cecil jolted, if it was even possible tied in a chair, from the crash of Carlos' body. His eyes drifted up to the attacker. No hero. As his eyes settled upon the 'hero', Cecil wasn't sure if he suppose to be grateful or scared.


	12. Jailbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hero of the two showed their face holding a metal pipe. Behind them was an army of friends and family. A true break out was happening.

Cecil looked up at the so called hero who was holding a metal pipe in his hands. It was Cecil. Well the Cecil from this dimension. There was a few other people behind him. Friends. No doppelgangers of Cecil's friends. Steve Carlsburg, Maureen, was that Intern Shawn?, and oh glow Abby, and many other townsfolk. They were all wearing the same white outfit Cecil was wearing. All seemed to be covered in both crimson and gold blood. They had gone through war to get to Cecil and Carlos. 

Steve and Dana quickly got to working on untying Cecil and Carlos out of the chairs as Cecil, who seemed to be the leader, gave orders. "Abigail, keep an eye out for anyone coming. Josh help Michelle patch that wound on Carlos... No not the one past out! Maureen--." But before Cecil could bark orders to Maureen she spoke up.

"Cecil... there's... why are there two Cecil's and two Carlos'?" She asked.

There was silence for a moment. Cecil, who hated the silence, ended it quickly. "Carlos and I... the one who's cut, aren't from this I guess..."

"Dimension." Carlos spoke roughly as he finished his boyfriend's sentence. He was about to smile to show he was alright to Cecil, but Michelle told him to quit talking as she tried to patch the wound with a piece of her shirt and tape. It was the best they could do.

"That. Now we need to get going before any workers find us and them here." Cecil stated. Right now he just wanted to get his doppelganger and Carlos out before anything else could help. 

Once Carlos was patched up, he smiled. Cecil, worried, quickly hugged him. A faint regret of doing that since it seemed to be too tight than usual, but his boyfriend was hurt. Neither of them cared. It was a quick hug, because they still weren't out of the building and home.

"Alright... Abigail, get them out of here. I have something I need to do." There was a growing smirk on Cecil's lips. Those red eyes weren't helping his case, but no one wanted to argue with their makeshift leader.

A nod came from everyone as they left, but Steve stayed with Cecil. He had a feeling on what he was doing, and he wanted to help. Shame on what he did to Janice. Revenge ran through Steve's blood. A horrible and terrifying thing. Memories of Janice ran through the man's mind before he closed the door on everyone else. The only ones left in the room were Cecil, Steve, and the unconscious Carlos.

Cecil and Carlos held hands while following Abby out of the building. They were glad they only ran into four other workers. With the small army they had it didn't take to take them down. Sure blood was now covered Cecil as well, but that's what happen when you are fighting for freedom.

As soon as the double doors at the entrance of the building burst open, sirens wailed across town. Night Vale now knew there were escaped patients running the streets. Abby took charged and told half the group to go the other direction. It might be safer in numbers, but a distraction was going to be needed since Carlos was telling her what was going to happen on how to get back home. His dimension.

Abby, Josh, Cecil, and Carlos ran to the abandon lab next to Big Rico's Pizza. With the sun setting behind them, a chill ran with them. The white outfits weren't made of thick material and unlike Josh who had covered himself in a thick coat of brown fur, they moved faster down the streets. Street lights flickered on behind them. If a light were to cast over them, the secret police would have a higher chance of finding them. A faint neon light illuminated in front of them. They can see it. They can see the abandon lab. Cecil could already see his home, even though it was still an experiment away.

Once they got in the abandoned lab, Carlos went straight to work. There wasn't much to work with since many of the liquids were expired and most of the equipment was broken. Thankfully, Carlos was able to do this part. It was slightly difficult, but he redid the exact mixture he did to travel to this dimension. He took Cecil's hand.

"Ready?" He asked facing his boyfriend. There was a faint smile growing on his features.

Cecil nods, but before he was able to say anything, Josh had interrupted. "I see them!" He yelled at the two love birds.

The two took the two beakers that were filled with the odd drink. The two nod before running full force at the window that watched the parking lot. The two closed their eyes as their bodies shattered the window. With a thud the two hit the catwalk outside the lab. Groans came from Cecil as he found Carlos on top of him. He wasn't sure that this actually worked or not. Carlos, slowly got up to his feet. The window they had jumped out of wasn't shattered. That was just one way how Carlos knew this worked. He laughed and hugged Cecil.

The two made sure they were in their dimension, by looking inside the lab. Lights flickered on when Carlos and Cecil had walked in. Beakers and flasks covered one table, another was covered in goggles, another in other science equipment. This was their dimension. This was their home. Home at last.

"I think we should get some sleep before something happens." Carlos said before walking out of his lab. Cecil agreed. He had a show tomorrow and he hadn't done anything for it. All he wanted right now was some alone time with Carlos.


	13. Goodnight, Night Vale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The voice of Night Vale was reading his script in the recording studio of Night Vale Community Radio. His voice brought peace when war was happening. It brought war when peace was around. Tonight, only Cecil could say.

The voice of Night Vale echoed on the radio throughout town. It was a sweet, happy voice tonight. Nothing was to fear about the show. There were no threats being broadcast. Just a wonderful storyteller talking about the past couple of days. It was normal to hear about the voice's personal life. It seemed like another section on his show. No one seemed to complain about the daily life of Cecil Palmer, so he had no reason to stop talking about himself and his life.

_It's been a long few days without me, I know, but I promise listeners, that I won't disappear without a warning anymore. Oh it was horrible not being able to sit down in this chair and talk about the news going on, but now I'm back listeners. My intern had probably filled you in on where I went, hopefully. Anyway!_

Cecil went on about the adventure he had in the other dimension. How everything seemed to be flipped and backwards. After he did the community calendar he went to the weather. A soft melody of tunes played over the air. Cecil took a breather and looked over at his boyfriend and intern who both gave him a thumbs up. Oh how it felt to be back.

As soon as the weather finished up, his voice was once again producing sound. The sound traveled all over the desert community. Words traveled from the microphone in front of the radio host and into the radios of his listeners.

_And before I leave you tonight, Night Vale. We do the same of what we always do. Lay our heads on that brick and close our eyes. Let those synthetic muscles produce an imaginary world as we lay comatose on your bed. Goodnight, Night Vale, Goodnight._

At the end of the show, purple headphones were pulled down to the man's neck. Switches were turned off and nobs were turned to the left. Radios in town were turning off when the show ended. Some stayed on, but most lost their power. A smile grew on the radio host's lips as he turned his chair around to see his boyfriend next to an intern. Yes there was silence, but it wasn't trying to drown him this time. This was comforting. It seemed like a nice hug from a friend.

The door to the recording studio opened slowly with a creak that scared the silence away. A reminder to the radio host to oil that one day. Tonight, no. Tonight Cecil had a better idea and it seemed like his boyfriend was sharing the same idea. It felt so good to be in the recording studio with him and nothing was keeping them apart. He walked in and sat on the edge of the desk in front of the radio host. His eyes weren't leaving Cecil's. How could they? It felt like they hadn't seen each other in years, but it had only been a few days.

There was a knock on the glass from an intern. A gesture was shown to the radio host and his boyfriend showing it was time to leave and go home. Possibly get some sleep. Everyone needed it. A chuckle came from Cecil seeing the gesture. He told his intern to go home and get sleep. He had told him that he would be able to lock up the radio station after they left.

The intern nods before leaving the building. Thus leaving just Cecil and his boyfriend in the whole building. The only light that was on in the whole building was the light in the hall outside the recording studio. The two sat in the darken room. One moved off the desk and onto the radio host's lap just to get closer to him.

"Never leave me like that." One said before settling his lips on the other.

"Promise." The other replied after kissing back.

The two tangled their arms together around each other in a hug as their lips interlocked. The only sounds that could have been heard the two kissing and soft promises that might be broken the next day, they couldn't see the future. The future wasn't a problem they needed to worry about. The present was on their mind. 

Cecil pulled away for a breath and seemed so lost in his boyfriend's eyes. It was almost looking back into another galaxy. It was wonder. It was mysterious. It was love. Love was pulling the two into a grip they didn't want to escape from. Cecil didn't want to argue with love. No one dares to argue with them. When love takes control, you lay back and enjoy the show.

A pause happened between the two. Each look at each other. Neither could think right, but at least they knew what they were doing. One spoke to break the quiet room. 

"hmm... Earl, care to stay over at my place tonight?" There was a smirk growing over the red eyed radio host.

"I'll love to." He replied.

It would be a perfect imperfect night for the two lovers at Cecil's apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that for a twist? Hahaa! Anyway before I bid a goodnight I want to thank my Carlos for being my beta through this madness and thanks to the WTNV amino where it also has been posted. Now Goodnight, readers. Goodnight.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 800 something words. Its short I know. I just wanna say that the intern's death was from a friend. Speaking of it, Hi my Carlos friend~


End file.
